First things first: how was the premiere of the heroic comedy "There is only a Moment"

The red carpet, the stars of Russian cinema and the majestic white-winged fighter jet: the big premiere of the long-awaited heroic comedy "There is only a Moment" took place in Moscow. The closed screening took place on November 26 at the October Cinema. The creative team of the project presented a good picture of the feat of the Soviet people. The Izvestia report describes how the epic battle scenes were filmed, what fears the actors had to overcome on set, and how the creators managed to maintain a balance between humor and respect for the great feat on the screen.

"We were being shaken from side to side, pyrotechnics were shooting, smoke was being blown"

The legendary MiG-3 made a stop for one evening at the walls of the capital's Oktyabr cinema. During the war years, such machines — difficult to pilot and requiring high skill, but very fast — participated in the defense of Moscow. And it was this snow—white plane that became the hero of the movie - he starred in the new film "There is only a Moment", which premiered at the cinema this evening.

— I wanted MiG to be one of the heroes of our film. Such aircraft really protected the skies in the autumn and winter of 1941. This model is accurate to every rivet," Igor Ugolnikov, producer and performer of one of the roles in the film, told Izvestia before the screening.

Igor Ugolnikov, General Director of the Voenfilm Studio

Photo: IZVESTIA/Pavel Volkov

But this story, however, is not about airplanes, but about the great feat of the Soviet people — brave and not losing the ability to dream and strive for light even in the darkest times. The action takes the viewer back to 1944. A brilliant fighter pilot, Ivan Polivanov, is appointed head of the airfield after being seriously wounded. The letter "L" in its abbreviation is jokingly deciphered as "legendary", in fact it means false — designed to distract and confuse the enemy. He is a young idealist who now barely sees, does not immediately understand, and takes up work with exemplary zeal — he puts things in order, builds local employees. And when he realizes where he is, he does not lose his enthusiasm and lights up with the goal of putting a downed fighter jet found in the depths of the forest on the wing and still return to the sky.

The hero of Polivanov became the debut for the young actor Daniil Popov — this is his first big leading role. To understand what kind of test real fighter pilots were made of, who worked to the limit of their abilities, the actor studied the biographies of the characters. Among them is ace Alexander Pokryshkin, who shot down the German Messerschmitt with a MiG—3 in June 1941. In a sense, the project fulfilled the actor's long-held dream. Once upon a time, he dreamed of the sky — he wanted to enroll in a flight school in Altai, but could not because of an injury.

— But I flew anyway! — not without pride and with a smile, he declared on the red carpet in an interview with Izvestia.

A shot from the movie "There is only a Moment"

Photo: Voenfilm

For his colleague on the set, Svetlana Antonova, who also shone at the premiere that evening and received the applause of the first audience, this experience, on the contrary, became an opportunity to look fear in the eye.

— My heroine fought fiercely, and she is much braver than I am. I'm terribly afraid of heights! I had to overcome my fears in order to get into the plane on a bracket in the air. We were being shaken from side to side, pyrotechnics were shooting, smoke was blowing — we had to hold on to the steering wheel very tightly! And I was once again convinced of the courage of the women who really went through all this. They had no choice whether they wanted to or not. Must. This word was in their hearts. No one forced them. This is an incredible love for the Motherland and desperate heroism," the actress shared her memories with Izvestia.

A shot from the movie "There is only a Moment"

Photo: Voenfilm

Aerial battles were filmed using the latest LED screens. Cameras were mounted around model airplanes. No less exciting scenes unfolded on earth. In one of them, the main character has to cross a clearing under bombing.

— All without stuntmen! In great excitement! Step left, step right, and you can fly.We had a certain trajectory that we had to follow in order not to fly up into the air, but there was fear inside! When it all explodes, the earth flies, you think that your grandfathers have survived, and very strong feelings and respect awaken," Daniil Popov said.

"The topic of a pilot hitting a false airfield is comical in itself"

The screen is a synthesis of spectacular action, drama and comedy. Making such a movie about the Great Patriotic War is a task with an asterisk that requires taking into account the sensitivity of the topic, a very precise balance between humor and the deepest respect for a real feat. The creators found the right intonation in Soviet cinema.

— The theme of our story, when a pilot gets to a false airfield, is already somewhat comical in itself. But at the same time, we are saying that even in such a seemingly strange area of front-line work, there is a place for heroism, the will to win and, of course, love. This is a film about people who live their lives to the fullest despite the fact that there is a war going on. Remember, "Only old men go into battle." We were guided by this atmosphere, by this note, and I think we sustained it, because our attitude to the memory of the people who won that war is incredible," Alexander Zhigalkin, the film's director, explained to Izvestia.

Directed by Alexander Zhigalkin

Photo: IZVESTIA/Pavel Volkov

The creators pay special attention to the fact that even today there are such unimaginative characters among us as Polivanov, and the film is suitable for the whole family. On the day of the first show, artists Fyodor Dobronravov, Sergey Dorogov and others came to congratulate their colleagues on the premiere. NMG Film Distribution releases "There is Only a Moment" on November 27 on wide screens. The television premiere will take place on the REN TV channel.